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I sit down on a loveseat facing the sofa to watch Jadon open presents. At some point, Bill puts Jadon on his lap and I take a few pictures of all of them together. I get a perfect picture of Lucas helping Jadon check out one of the many toys they overload him with, and it’s a good one. They’re both looking at the box intensely, trying to figure the entire thing out before they even remove the packaging.
It’s cute seeing Lucas and Jadon pull the same faces.
Bill and Jen got Jadon mountains of clothes and toys. I wonder how they got all this stuff on such short notice. We have been here just over an hour watching Lucas and Bill play with Jadon. Jadon so clearly loves Bill and Jen already, even if they kind of bought his affections today, so I’m sure that took a lot of pressure off Lucas. Now he can bring Jadon home to his family with more confidence and ease.
Still no sign of Katrina.
Lucas admitted even he didn’t know how she would act, so maybe she doesn’t want to handle this at all. Honestly, if she is going to be mad or hold Jadon and me against Lucas, I would rather she not show her face.
Lucas heads to the kitchen to get Jadon some juice and a snack when heavy heels hit the floor and Katrinafinallymakes her grand appearance. She enters the living room wearing a tight, white, spandex-looking dress with her cleavage popping out of the top. Her hair is curled perfectly, and her makeup looks like she’s going to an award ceremony or something. She’s in another pair of fancy pumps like the other day, and dripping in expensive jewelry everywhere.
Yes, she’s glamorous, but it’s a little much to meet a boyfriend’s son, I would think.
Still, I cower like a sewer rat in my dress and pick at a thread along the hemline.
Bill and Jen glance over at her for a second before turning their heads and rolling their eyes. They don’t even acknowledge her, so I’m unsure of how to formally introduce myself and Jadon without Lucas here.
Lucas is still in the kitchen, so he hasn’t noticed her just yet. Katrina looks over at me and gives me the fakest smile that quickly dips into a scowl as soon as she starts for the kitchen. I am well aware that the entire time she stood in the living room wordlessly, she didn’t even look at Jadon.
We can’t avoid the sound that carries from the kitchen when she greets Lucas. The overly sweet tone, and the loud smooching. I don’t know what she does exactly, but Lucas’ mild irritation also carries over, though softer than Katrina’s enthusiastic greeting.
“Kat, stop,” he whisper-yells at her. I know he is trying to make a good impression on Jadon and me so that Jadon can come and spend time with him more, so I’m just glad he is trying to keep her under some control.
But I’ve decided I don’t like Katrina. My dad hates her dad, and maybe I’m just destined to not like her either.
Bill and Jen seem to ignore Katrina, and just focus on Jadon, who, thankfully, didn’t notice her rudeness. While Lucas and Katrina are in the kitchen, Jen turns to me and attempts small talk. “So, I hear you work at the school, too. How do you like it?”
“Oh, it’s great, actually. I’m the Principal’s assistant and it’s just until I graduate college and get my business up and running.”
“Oh!” Jen claps with excitement, slowly easing the tense strain in my jaw and shoulders. “Working and going to school whileraising a child? That’s incredible!” Lucas and Katrina join us in the living room, and Lucas sets down Jadon’s snacks on the table for him. Since the sofa is full, Lucas sits on the other side of the love seat as far from me as possible.
“Yeah,” I say, trying not to focus on Katrina’s piercing gaze on me from across the room. She saunters over to sit in Lucas’s lap, facing me.
Yep, I’m officially uncomfortable.
I smile back at Jen and try not to grab my earlobe, but maybe I should have agreed to a gesture or code word.
“It’s been a struggle, but my dad has been helpful with Jadon and my boss is really relaxed when it comes to my school and anything with Jadon,” I say, trying not to notice Katrina’s eyes on me. I can tell she is sizing me up, but I’m not sure why. We aren’t competing for the same thing here, so there’s no need to be territorial.
At the same time, every imperfection on my face and body ache and I fight not to cover them and draw attention to myself.
“So what kind of business are you trying to start?” Bill asks me.
I wonder if he remembers helping me buy my car.
“I’m starting a catering business,” I say, trying to keep it simple. Every time I open my mouth, I can almost hear Katrina roll her eyes.
“Catering? That sounds fun!” Jen pipes up, trying to draw my attention from the insecure Barbie doll beside me. Lucas isn’t stopping her or doing anything. He’s just sitting there like it’s normal for her to be murdering people with her eyes while sitting on his lap. If she starts rubbing herself on him, I’m grabbing Jadon, and we’ll walk home.
Maybe steal the neighbor’s plastic deer as consolation or something.
“Yeah, my friend Charity is actually becoming an event planner and is already booking events for me starting next year.”
“What? That’s awesome. You didn’t tell me,” Lucas suddenly reminds everyone he has a voice, even with the adult child on his lap.
I look at him from the corner of my eye. I have a feeling if I look directly at him, Katrina will start peeing on him just to make sure I know he belongs to her, and I would rather justnottoday. “Yeah, it just sort of happened in the last few days.”
“So Allie,” Jen speaks up again, trying to draw the attention from the silent, possessive, girl sitting next to me. “Do you like to cook a lot? What does your menu look like for this catering business?”
